Ignition system



July 15. 1924.

w. A. CHRYST IGNITION SYSTEM Filed Oct. 25,- 1918 2, F Q 7 0m a hm MW 2 2 h I a 3 5 5, m w

r c an m; A 79 Patented July 15, 1924. g

WILLIAM A. CHRYST, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DA YTON ENGIN! BFNG LABORATORIES COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF OHIO IGNITION SYSTEM.

Application filed October 23, 1918. Serial No. 259,378.

T all whom z'tmay concern -Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. CHRYs'r, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Dayton, county of Montgomery, State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Systems, of which the following is a full, clear,

.and exact description. v

This invention relates to ignition systems for internal-combustion engines or the like.

Among the objects ,of the'invention is the provision of an ignition timer having means for automatically controlling the advancing or retarding of the ingition, said means acting to render the ignition system operative when the engine is cranked manually or by a starting device, for maintaining -the ignition system in this condition during the operation of the engine,-and for rendering the ignition system inoperativewhen the engine stops.

More particularly it is an object of the inventionto provide a switch in the ignition circuit, and an ignition timer having provisions which automatically close the said switch and also controlv the advancing and retarding of the sparking impulses.

Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the follow- 30 ing description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which a 'preferred'embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown'.

In the drawings:

Fig. 5' is a fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the timer taken on line 33 of Fig. 1 on a larger scale than Fig. 3.

In the drawings, 20 designates an internal-combustion engine which drives a generator 21 connected therewith by suitable gearing, such as chain belt 122 connecting belt gearing 123 and 124.

Mounted upon the generator 21 is a timer Figure 1 is a sectional view of the ignition 22 which includes a stationary timer cup '23 divided into upper and lower compart ments 24 and 25 by means of the partition 26. A shaft 27 known as the engine driven shaft is connected by suitable gearing 28 and 29 with gear 124 which is driven by the engine 20. The engine driven shaft 27 extends upwardly from the generator 21 into the chamber 25 of timer 22 to the point 30. A disk 31 ismounted for rotation with shaft 27 and carries posts 32 and 33, upon which are pivotally mounted centrifugal weights accomplished by constructing the springs so as to be slightly compressed when in position shown in Fig. 2. Weights 34 and ,35

' are provided with recesses 38 and 39 respectively, in which are located portions of arms 40 and 41 of a cam controlling member 42 which is loosely mounted upon the upper end of shaft 27. Member 42 carries a cam shaft 43 positioned in alinement with shaft 27. On the upper end of shaft 43 is mounted a timer cam 44 which cooperates with timer-contacts 45 and 46, connected in the ignition circuit which will be described later.

A flat ring of insulating material is mounted upon the disk 31. The ring '50 carries collectingrings 51 and 52 which are connected with switch members 53 and 54 respectively. Brushes 55 and 56 are mounted upon timer cup 23 and contact with collecting rings 51 and 52 respectively. 57 is a switch operating member, and includes a hub 58 bored out centrally at 59 and provided with arms 60 and 61 which cooperate with recesses 38 and 39, respectively, of'weights 34 and 35. Member 57 is provided with a flange 62 which rests upon switch member 54 when the switch controlling member 57 is placed in proper position upon the shaft 27. A pin 63 extends diametrically and transversely through the shaft 27 and projects into diametrically ar ranged slots 64 and 65 formed in the'walls of hub 58 of switch controlling member 57. Slots 64 and 65 include inclined portions 66 and straight portions 67 extending transversely of shaft 27. light spring 68 is in Fig. 1, 70 is a storage battery grounded by wire 71, and connected by wire 72 with reverse current relay 73, which is connected by wire 7 4 with generator terminal 75. The other enerator terminal 76 is connected by wire 7 withfthe ground. The circuit just described is the battery charging circuit, in which the reverse current relay 73 of any well known construction serves to prevent the battery discharging through the generatorwhen the engine stops. The ignition circuit comprises wire 78 leading out from wire 72, manually controlled ignition switch 79, wire 80, contacts 46 and 45,wire 81,brush 56, collector ring 52, contacts 54 and 53, collector ring 51, brush 55, wire 82, the primer winding, not shown, of ignition coil 83, ound wire 84, and, wire'71 to battery 70. The high tension winding, not shown,

of coil 83 is grounded through the primary connection described, and is connected'by wire 85 with distributor 86 which distributes the sparking impulses to the various spark plugs of the engine.

The operation of the device is as follows:

As explained, the construction and arrangement of springs 36 and 37 shown in Fig. 2 are such that a certain movement of the members 34 and 35 caused by centrifugal force, will be opposed by said springs only to a very slight degree until the engine has reached a certain speed. When the engine is cranked by hand or by a suitable starting device the speed of rotation of the engine will be sufficient to cause members 34 and 35 to recede from the shaft 27 This initial movement of members 34 and 35 will impart movement to .the switch operating member 57 through the arms and 61. This movementof member 57 relative to the shaft 27 will, by reason of the engagement of pin 63 with spiral portions 66 of slots 64 and 65, cause the downward movement of member 57 as viewed in Fig. 1. This movement willbe' suliicient to overcome spring 68 and to cause member 54 to move into engagement with member 53. The ignition circuit will now be rendered operative and the engine may be started. After the switch members 54 and 53 have been closed in the manner described, and as the speed of the engine increases, the springs 36 and 37 will come into play and oppose the action or" centrifugal force upon weights 34 and 35. As the weights 34 and'35 recede still farther from the shaft 27, further movement will be imparted to members 42 and 57; and the movement imparted to member 42 will cause relative angular displacement between the cam 44 and the engine driven-shaft 27. Hence it will be seen that the advancing and retarding of the cam will be controlledin accordance with the speed of the engine. This further movement of member 57 which takes place after members 53 and 54 have beenrclosed will cause but a slight further downward movement of said member 57, since the pin 63 will have entered portions 67 of the slots 64 and 65. This slight further movement is permitted by the resiliency of members 53 and 54. It will be seen that the switch members 53 and 54 are held in engagement under substantially constant pressure while the centrifugal device acts further to control the timer. The ignition circuit will be established so long as the engine is rotating at speeds normally encountered in the operation thereof. As the engine speed diminishes to zero, springs 36 and 37 will cause the weights 34 and 35 to move toward the shaft 27 until the tension of the springs 36 and 37 is relieved. By this time pin 63 will have arrived at the spiral portions of slots 64 and 65, and spring 68 will, by pressing upwardly on member 57, cause said member 57 to rotate relative to shaft 27 and thus cause. weights 34 and 35 to complete their movement toward shaft 27. Thus when the engine comes to rest, the ignition circuit is automatically broken. In order to interrupt the ignition circuit without waiting for the engine to stop, the manually controlled switch 79 is provided. By reason of the automatic opening of the switch e1ements 53 and 54, when the engine comes to rest, the openin of the manually controlled ignition switch 9 is unnecessary to protect th ignition system and to prevent the discharge therethrough of the battery 70.

While the timer includes cooperating contacts intermittently closed by a cam, said contacts comprising a switch, it is to be understood that the term 'switchl applies only to the manually controlled ignition switch 79 or to the switch within the compartment 24 which is automatically controlled by a centrifugal device.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described constitutes a preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it is to be'understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. ln an ignition system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a current source; of an ignition timer including a timer controlling member for controlling the advancing and retarding of thespark; an engine driven member; a switch and a switch operating member mounted to rotate with the engine driven member; centrifugal members mounted on the engine driven member and arranged to actuate the timer controlling member and the switch control ling member; and means for conducting current from a stationary part to the switch, said means comprising collector rings mounted to rotate with the engine driven member, and brushes mounted onthe stationary part and cooperating with said rings.

2. In an ignition system for internal combustion'engines, the combination with a curto the engine driven member whereby the switch may be'controlled through a certain range of movement of the centrifugal means and further movement of said centrifugal means will cause further adjustment of the timer controlling member without moving the switch controlling member while the switch is maintained closed nnder substantially constant pressure regardless of variations in engine speed above a predetermined value.- r 1 4c. In an ignition system for internal combustion engines, the combination with a current source; of an ignition timer connected rent source; of an ignition timer includingauwith the current source; an engine driven timer controlling member for controlling the advancing and retarding of the spark; an engine driven member; a switch for controlling the ignition system; a switch cont-rollingmember mounted upon the engine" driven member; pin and spiral slot connections between the engine driven member and the switch controlling member; centrifugal means for causing rotation of the switch controlling member relative to the engine driven member whereby axial movement is imparted to the switch controlling member 'to actuate the switch, said centrifugal means acting further to actuate the timer controllingmember while the switch is maintained closed under substantially constant pressure regardless of variations in engine speed above a predetermined value.

3. In an ignition switch for internal combustion engines, the combination with a current source; of an ignition timer including a timer controlling member for controlling the advancing andretarding of the spark; an engine. driven member; a switch for controlling the ignition system; a switch controlling -member mounted on the engine driven member and formed with a slot in the wallsthereof, provided with portions arranged transversely and spirally with respect to the axis of the engine driven member; a pin connected with the engine driven member and coperating with the slot; centrifngal means for actuating the timer controllingmember and for imparting rotation to the'switcli controlling member relative member; a switch for controlling the igni tion system; a switch controlling member mounted upon the 'engine;driven-- -member; pin and spiral slot connections between the engine driven member ,iand the switch controlling member;- centrifugal means for causing rotation of the switch controlling member relative to the engine driven member whereby axial 'movement is'impa-rted'to the switch controlling member to actuate the switch. v i

5. In an ignition system fofinte'rnal-combustion engines, the combination with a'current source; of an ignition timer connected with the current source; an engine driven member; a switch for controlling the ignition system; a switch controlling member mounted u n the enginedriven member; pin and spiral slot-connections 'between the engine driven member and the switch controlling member; centrifugal means for causing rotation of the switch controlling member relative to the engine drivenvmember whereby axial movement is imparted to the switch controlling member to actuate the switch, said pin and slot connections being arranged so that the switch will remain closed under substantially constant pressure above a predetermined engine speed regardless of speed variations. t

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WILLIAM A. OHRYST.

Witnesses: 4

M. A. PEARE; J. W. MoDo'NALD. 

